A FOODBANK offering a vital lifeline to families struggling to put food on the table has opened in Wotton-under-Edge.

Stroud District Foodbank has partnered with Churches Together in Wotton to open the new branch, which launched on Wednesday, December 5.

Will Mansell, Stroud District Foodbank project manager, said the organisation had already fed a number of families in the town.

He said: "Everyone in Wotton is feeling the impact of the recession but for those with low incomes, the economic situation means that many are now only one unexpected bill away from running out of food.

"What most people don’t know is that our average client is a family, often in work, who are trying their best but still can’t put food on the table."

Stroud District Foodbank currently feeds around 200 people per month.

Wotton’s foodbank has already signed up a number of local schools and health professionals as referrers to the new centre.

If people need food, they can speak to their doctor, schoolteacher or other care workers to get a voucher, which can be exchanged for food.

Mr Mansell said the new centre would allow more people in the community to access help.

He said: "The foodbank in Wotton is not about charity, it is about the community working together to provide dignity and support when local people fall on hard times."

Stroud District Foodbank receives all its food by donation.

This month Tesco shoppers donated around 160 crates of food to the foodbank, with 80 crates coming from a food drive at Cam Tesco.

Tesco is topping up the donation by 30 per cent in store credit, so the foodbank can target specific items it needs.

The foodbank in Wotton will be open every Wednesday between 1pm and 2pm at Wotton Baptist Church. For more information visit Strouddistrict.foodbank.org.uk